Breast lifter for gins



Feb. 5, 1929.

B. C. WOODFORD ET AL BREAST LIFTER FOR GINS Filed May 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 5, 1929. 1,701,201

B. C. WOODFORD ET AL BREAST LIFTER FOR ems Filed May 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 and hinged lever.

Patented Feb. 5, 1929.

, 1,701,201 f UNITED STATES PATENT o FIC-E.

BRONSON c. WOODFORD AND JOSEPH BEHLE, or DALLAS, TEXAS, ASSIGNORS TO THE MURRAY COMPANY, 01 DALLAS, TEXAS, A CORPORATION or TEXAS.

BREAST LIFTER FOR GINS.

Application fi led May 23,

Our-invention is a safety breast lifter and lock forcotton gin, embodying a hand lever connected to a rotatable shaft carrying "a hinged lever, the free end of which lever engages the lower end of the breast, whlch may be actuated by movement of the shaft The rotatable, shaft is provided at one end with a crank arm, having a link connecting it with one end of the hand lever, which is pivoted to the frame of the machine and hasa spring bolt inounted thereon, co-operating with a quadrant, to stop the hand lever at the end of its movement, .in one direction and to lock it at the end of its movement in the other direction.

In the drawings: 7

Figure l is a cross-sectional elevation of a gin to which our invention is applicable;

Figure 2 is a detail, on an enlarged scale, of the operating lever and lock, two positions being shown, one in full and the other in dotted lines;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a detail in plan of the end of shaft A and associated parts.

In the drawings we have shown our invention as applied to a gin of well known type, in order that the connection-and function of our device might be easily made plain. It will be understood, of course, that the invention is applicable to any gin in which ginning ribs and saws are employed and in. which the grate falls and roll box are pivoted to the gin, so that they may be swungclear of the saws, more or less, if desired. -As the invention is entirely concerned with means for swinging the roll box and ribs, to or away from the saws, it will be unnecessary herein to do more than indicate, in the most general way, the other elements of the gin.

In the drawings, 1 is the frame of the gin, 2 is the saw shaft, 3 the saws. Above the saws is the roll-box 4, through which cottonis introduced into the machine; and a second cotton inlet at 42 for introducing cotton into the huller-breast. Between the saws 3, in the machine-of Figure 1, are two sets of ginning ribs, one of which, 41, operates upon cotton introduced through roll .box 4, and another set, 421, which operates upon cotton introduced through cotton inlet 42. The air blast 5*, in the example shown in Figure 1, discharges air under compression, re-

1928. Serial No 280,019.

ceived from the air duct 6, against the teeth of the rotating saws 3 and frees-the cotton from the saws, blowing it into the cotton duct 7 and so out of the gin.

The ginning ribs 41 and 421 and the breasts 5, 51, .to which they are appurtenant, are pivoted at the upper end thereof, at 8, so that the breasts may be swung about this pivot, or removed entirely from the gin, by lifting out of the slot 81, the pivot 8.

Toward the lower front side of the gin, below the saws, is mounted a longitudinal shaft A, its ends being in bearings, a, on the end frames of the gin. At each end of shaft A, are secured levers'B, on the free ends of which are pivoted heads, I), preferably of a V shape, adapted to engage lugs 5" on the lower end of the breast.

At one end of shaft A,is a crank arm D, connected by a link (i with the short end 6, of a lever E pivoted at e to the frame 1 of the gin. This lever' is provided with a spring bolt and operating handle 6 the bolt cooperating with a locking sector and a bolt hole f at lower end of the sector to receive the bolt 6 are preferably loosely engaged with lugs 5 gravity holding the breast against the head I) of levers B, at all times, and the absence of any pin or other engaging means rendering it easy at any time to remove the breast by lifting pivots 8 from slots 81, the lever heads Z) dropping out of engagement and being re- The'heads b of levers B positloned when the breasts are restored to place.

In the drawings we have shown an arrangement and proportion of parts, which throws the breasts and ribs out sufficiently to remove the seed roll from the action of the saws, when a balehas been ginned or for purposes of clearing the ribs or adjustment and repair. Any extent of outward throw of the breasts can be secured by lengthening the two parts of the hinged lever Bb, so that when the two parts of the lever pass from an angular position to longitudinal 1 position, with the turning of crank shaft A, the total length of the lever is increased and the breast moved correspondingly.

It will be noted that when inthe outward or open or extended position, the hinged lever B6, is positively secured by the bolt e entering the bolt hole 6, so that accidental falling of the breasts while an operator is at work upon the gin or beneath the breasts,

is impossible. The locking means, besides the bolt, 0 includes a sector, havlng stops 7 with which the lever engages at the end of its throw, to limit the amplitude of its motion, without throwing strain upon the bolt.

We claim:

1. In a breast lifter for a cotton gin, a shaft along the front of the gin, beneath the saws and opposed to the lower end of the breast; a crank upon one end of the shaft; an actuating lever, pivoted upon the gin frame over the crank; means on the frame to positively secure the lever in desired position; a

vertical connection between the lever and the crank, to actuate and lock the crank in desired position by movement and locking of the lever; a second lever, secured upon and projecting from the shaft between its ends, and having ahead hinged .to the free end of the lever and in engagementwith the breast, the lever controlling the breast through the hinged head, as the shaft is turned.

2. In a breast lifter for a cotton gin, a shaft along the front of the gin, beneath the saws and opposed to the lower end of the breast; a crank arm upon one end of the shaft; an actuating lever pivoted on the gin frame over the crank arm and carrying a springbolt; a quadrant cooperating with the lever, having stops for the lever and a bolt aperture for the spring bolt; a vertical link connecting the lever with the crank arm, to actuate and to lock the crank-arm in desired position by movement and locking of the lever; a second lever, secured upon and projecting from the shaft between its ends, having a head hinged to the free end of the lever i and in engagement with the breast, the lever controlling the breast through the hinged head, as the shaft is turned.

Signed at Dallas, Texas, this 18th day.

of May, 1928.

BRONSON G. WOODFORD. JOSEPH BEHLE. 

